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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

OBED O. BILL-MAN, OF SMITHVILLE, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,868, dated January30, 1894.

Application filed November 7, 1893- Serial No, 490,261. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OBED O. BILLMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Smithville, in the county of Wayne and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Oar- Coupling, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to an improvement in i vention, applied intheoperative position to a box car. Fig. 2 is a plan view of twoconnectedcouplers. Fig. Sis a front view of the draw-head forming a partof the improved coupler. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the same. v

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates the draw-head having a conical or bell mouth 2 and a throat3, which is slightly flattened horizontally in order to form a seat forthe coupling-link 4 and hold the latter in a horizontal position whenabout to enter the draw-head of an approaching car.

5 represents a slot, which is formed hori: zontally in the draw-headabove the plane of the throat, and therefore out of communicationtherewith; and 6 represents the pin-opening or guide which penetratesthe upper side of the draw-head and intersects the horizontal slot 5.Opposite this pin-opening, and formed in the floor of the throat, is aseat 7, to receive the lower end of the coupling-pin 8.

Arranged in the horizontal opening 5, and pivoted at one end to thedraw-head, is a pinsupport 9, which is adapted to occupy a positionopposite the pin-opening 6, in order to support said pin in its elevatedposition.

Connected to the laterally-projecting end of this pin-support, by meansof a flexible chain 10, is a weight 11, whereby said pinsupport isnormally held in position to support the pin and is automaticallyoperated to move into the path of the pin when the latter is elevated bythe uncoupling mechanism hereinafter described. Said chain passes over adirection pulley 12, which is arranged upon the side of the draw-headand through a guide 13 which is arranged near the lower side of thedraw-head.

Rigidly secured to or integral with the draw-head, upon the oppositeside thereof from the free end of the pin-support, is a horizontaltrip-arm 14:, having an enlarged front end or head 15, which is arrangedin advance of the front end of the draw-head a sufficient distance toengage the pin-support of an approaching draw-head to repress the sameand release the coupling-pin to enable the latter to engage the-link. InFig. 2 I have shown the parts in their engaged positions.

16 represents a rock-shaft, which is journaled upon the end of the carand is provided, at one end adjacent to the side of the car, with anoperating handle 17, and at the other end opposite the center of the carwith a forwardly-projecting supporting-arm 18, which terminates directlyabove the coupling-pin and is connected thereto by means of a chain 19.

Slidably fitted in suitable guides 20, near the top of the car, is anuncoupling-bar 21, provided at its upper end with a suitable handle 22,and connected at its lower end with the free end of the supporting arm18, by means of achain 23. The form of connection which I prefer toemploy between the free end of the supporting arm and the fiexibleconnections 19 and 23 is constructed as follows 24 represents anelongated link, to which the contiguous ends of the chains 19 and 23 aresecured, and the extremity of the supporting arm extends between thesides of said elongated link and is pivotally connected thereto by meansof a transverse pivot-pin 25. From the above description it will beunderstood that the coupling-pin may be elevated to unoouple twoconnected cars by operating the handle 17 at the side of the car or theslide-bar 21 at the top of the car; and that in either case the movementof the supporting arm 18 will elevate the pin vertically and thusprevent binding in the pin-opening. When the free end of thecoupling-pin rises above the plane of the pin-support, the latter isdrawn forward by means of the weight, and the pin is held in itselevated position until the support is repressed by the contacttherewith of the trip-arm of an opposite draw-head. The enlarged head atthe extremity of the trip-arm enables said arm to engageithe pinsupportwhen there is a difference of height between the connecting draw-heads.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In acar-couplingdevice, the combination of a draw-head provided with a horizontalopening above the plane of the throat thereof and having a pin-openingwhich intersects said horizontal opening, a coupling-pin fitting in saidpin-opening, a pin-support pivotally mounted in the horizontal openingand adapted to assume a position in the path of the coupling-pin, anactuating weight connected to the free end of the pin-support tonormally hold the same in the path of the coupling-pin, a trip-armcarried by the draw-head and projecting in front of the same, anduncoupling devices connected to the pin, substantially as specified.

2. In a car-coupling device, the combination of a draw-head providedwith a horizontal opening above the plane of the throat thereof andhaving a pinbpening, which intersects said horizontal opening apin-support pivotally arranged in the horizontal opening and adapted toassume a position in the path of the coupling-pin, means connected tothe pinsupport to maintain the same normally in the path of thecoupling-pin, a trip-arm carried by the draw-head, extending in front ofthe same and provided at its extremity with an enlarged head, anduncoupling devices ineluding a supporting arm which terminates above thecoupling-pin, and a flexible connection between the coupling-pin andsaid supporting-arm, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myown Ihave hereto affixedmysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

OBED C. BILLMAN.

Witnesses:

CHARLES M. YooUM, FRANK TAGGART.

